To the editor:

It was truly inspiring to participate in the clothing/household goods drive April 9 at Woodward Middle School for Syrian refugees.

Under the direction of the eighth-grade Leadership Class taught by Betsy Garfunkel, more than 10,000 pounds of goods were trucked to Value Village in Seattle where they will be sold or recycled with the money raised going to Salaam Cultural Museum which will then send it on to Greece. Acknowledgment must be made as well to the tireless efforts of Alice Mendoza, who orchestrated the efforts of the drive and the whole day.

The enthusiasm displayed by those who contributed goods was tremendous and many want to be informed of future needs to help the plight of the refugees. All this belies the negative attitudes and insults displayed by insular, narrow viewpoints that most of us here on Bainbridge do not share.

As a result of last Saturday and the goodness of so many of our citizens, my sense of hope has risen.

BARBARA KOWALSKI

Bainbridge Island